Archives for August 2012

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Written by Jim Wormington

This is a strong collection, highlighting Cummings’ considerable songwriting and guitar playing skills.

Artist: Albert Cummings http://albertcummings.com/
Label: Ivy Music Company
Length: 12 Tracks, 50 mins

The drums crack, a gutsy guitar riff grabs you and, before you know it, your head’s bobbing and your toes are tapping to the catchy grooves of “Glass House,” the first track on Albert Cummings’ latest CD, No Regrets. Probably my favorite song on the disc, it’s an irresistible blues-rock entrée that will prep your music-loving palate for all that follows.

This is a strong collection, highlighting Cummings’ considerable songwriting and guitar playing skills. The songs have a very “real life” feel, touching on relationships (the good and the bad), losing and winning, the joys of driving, and finding a way to be okay with the uncertain emotional potpourri that is ordinary life. Its overall feel is positive, celebratory, even triumphant. Aptly titled.

All the soloing is good here. Some particularly nice moments on “500 Miles,” “Your Day Will Come,” and “Foolin’ Me.” What can I say? I’m a sucker for a bit of well-executed wah wah. All the tracks on this CD pop with Cummings’s emotive style not just in terms of what he’s producing slamming and bending his Strat’s six strings, but also in terms of where he pushes his simple yet soulful voice.

Cummings makes no secret of the profound influence blues icon Stevie Ray Vaughan has had, and continues to have, on him. He said (in an interview with Blues Revuemagazine editor Art Tipaldi) that Vaughan, “Opened the door to the blues for me.” Behind that door he, of course, went on to discover the guitarists that influenced Stevie—guys like Hendrix and B. B. King, Albert Collins and a host of blues greats.

That Stevie Ray tonality and combustion is not hard to hear in Cummings’ playing, but make no mistake—he’s not a Vaughan clone. Stylistically, compositionally, lyrically, and vocally he is very much a distinct entity. The musical organism that arises from this talented guitarist may be rooted in the blues, but it doesn’t mind burrowing through some rock or breathing in a little country air to find its full expression.

Cummings said, “This album is really who I am, as an artist and a man.”

All in all, it’s a solid, definitive release. I surmise, as far as maturing and improving, Albert Cummings is just getting started.

No Regrets is due to be released on August 28, 2012.

  

Buy albert’s new CD No Regrets at one of the links below

http://www.albertcummingsstore.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/no-regrets/id544708659
http://www.amazon.com/No-Regrets-Albert-Cummings/dp/B008FRGDGU

Tonight on Stormy Monday Blues, Albert Cummings is in the studio with his new CD “No Regrets”. Join us at 8pm on WRPI 91.5fm or at www.wrpi.org

Title – ‘No Regrets’ (Ivy Music Company)
Artist – Albert Cummings

Albert Cummings will release his sixth album titled No Regrets on August 28th, 2012 via the Ivy Music Company. Poignantly capturing the core of his influences, and displaying the impact that R&B, Rock, Soul, Country and the Blues have had on both his playing and writing, No Regrets is everything the guitarist aimed to capture when returning to the studio.

The album starts with ‘Glass House,’ a track that sets the Blues tone for what is to come, before the road song ‘500 Miles’ (and no, it has nothing to do with The Proclaimers!) and then the more sedate ‘Eye To Eye’ follow close behind. The countrified ‘Checkered Flag’ is next, and in truth, as much as it steers away from being true Blues, it is easily one of the best free-flowing tracks on the album.

Next up is the slow-churn of ‘She’s So Tired,’ the heartbreak storytelling of ‘Your Day Will Come’ and then both the sorrowful plea of ‘Cry Me A River’ and the drinking-Blues of ‘Drink Party and Dance.’

Then comes the powerhaus guitar-fest of ‘Foolin’ Me,’ before the best song on the album comes forth in ‘Where You Belong.’ A slow ballad, the only true one on the whole album, it is most assuredly a great, great song of love to behold. The album rounds out with the Blues jam of ‘Mannish Boy’ and then finally the gentle ‘Home Town’ brings the musical curtain down.

No Regrets is Albert Cummings latest release that will be heading out to the world at the end of August. This blues album has just the right touch of rock and country among other influences to appeal to a wide range of music lovers. In the quest for an amazing musical sound, Albert Cummings (guitar, vocals) is accompanied by Dave Smith (bass), Steve Potts (drums), Rick Steff (keyboard/piano), Jimmy D. Taylor (harmonica) and all the background vocals are covered by Vickie Adkins, Kimberlie Helton and Kevin Paige. The album was produced by Jim Gaines.

No Regrets is an album that will astound and you should allot yourself a few hours of time before you start listening to it, because you will probably want to listen to it a few times once you have heard it.

If first impressions are the most important, then consider “Glass House” a marvelous one to start off this album. The guitar is just fantastic here and, if this song is any indication, it bodes well for the rest of the way. One track in and I am already blown away by the music. The good tunes keep on coming with “500 Miles,” while slowing down the tempo a bit is the sultry “Eye to Eye.” Getting things going again is the roaring “Checkered Flag” It comes out rocking and never stops. It is as energetic and exciting as its subject matter. Taking the sound in a completely different direction is “She’s So Tired,” showing off the versatile nature of music and the emotional depths that can be reached. “Your Day Will Come” marks the halfway point and the album is as strong and rocking as ever.

“Drink Party and Dance” is a celebration of having a good time supported by some killer guitar action. Following up the ode to partying, “Foolin Me” is my favorite song on the album. With its killer bass and clever and biting lyrics such as I think you’re mistaking me for someone who cares, “Foolin Me” is a top quality song that demands repeat listens. The reflective and heartfelt “Home Town” caps off the album with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

The music of Albert Cummings is categorized as blues, but categories are there more for the stores and the critics. Albert Cummings is so good that the music reaches the level of moving beyond categories and genres. It is not something to pass up. With its late August release date, Albert Cumming’s No Regrets is a good way to end the summer.

 

Key Tracks: Glass House, Checkered Flag, Your Day Will Come, Foolin Me, Mannish Boy,

Brian McKinnon – Sr. MuzikReviews.com Staff

August 3, 2012